Critical acclaim for Onwards & upwards

Niall Toner's new Pinecastle album Onwards & upwards has been receiving some extremely favourable reviews. Thanks to Niall for the scanned image (left) of the reviews by Alan Cackett in the UK's Maverick magazine and by Greg McAteer in Hot Press. Click on the image till you reach a readable size of print.

For those who can't wait - Alan Cackett calls the album 'an almost perfect blend of bluegrass and country, highlighted by quality songwriting', considers 'William Smith Monroe' 'the finest song I've heard in regard to Bill Monroe', and ends:

This is without doubt an outstanding album and further proof, if proof was needed, that European country-bluegrass-old time singers do not need to sound like pseudo Americans to produce authentic, honest, and creditable country music with great authority.

Niall adds that the Maverick review has caused a sharp rise of interest in his work, especially since it came out in the USA last week, and may be responsible for his having also just hit the #1 spot on the AirPlay Direct all-time, Bluegrass/Folk charts - 105 downloads above the Bill Monroe tribute album.